[PQ] we saved a few things that were spared

COLT

Usually a drink will do the trick
Take the edge off quick
A long gone drive, you know the kind
Where you take a turn and you don't know why
But it clears your mind, a surefire cure

Now, Colt can stand down an angry unicorn, she can sit a storm of hooves, and she can be tough enough to out-stubborn the meanest cows. So let it be known, something has to be extra fucked up if it sends her running and screaming. And it does, mostly because she doesn't know what it is at first. All she sees is something abruptly angling for her, just a whisper of warning that squints her face shut against raised arms, but that meager shield doesn't deflect the seizure of her hair and the subsequent tug.

Chip's head throws up in worry, a draconic snort curling from his nose as he backs up from hands and bird alike. Colt has just enough time to glance over her arm to see the bird return, so throws her arms back up and ducks down, a yell breaking out. "What the FUCK!"

Chip agrees and backs away in a wide-eyed hurry, all his well-practiced sacking out not enough to convince him this isn't something horrific unfolding. Colt's nearly of the same mind, tilting her hat off in the next reprieve and holding it up and to the sky like a distraction or a deterrent, or fuck like a god damn fly swatter if the bird dives for her again. "LEEEENAAA!" she hollers out across the gap between them.

---

Colt and Chip mostly freak out but she calls for Lena and waves her hat at the bird

I need somethin' stronger
That'll last a little longer
I could use a love song

// to the green lessons //

She kept her calm, compassionate whims along the threshold, humming softly to the chicks, and placing them safely in the nearby crook of a living, healthy tree. “All right, I’ll be right back,” she mentioned to the little ones, as she could hear a commotion unfolding over by Colt.

And sure enough, the Caretaker hadn’t been quick enough to evade the prospect of the mother returning. Keeping a composed and steady breath, she unfurled er Attuned abilities, compelling and directing the dream bird towards her own flock. Come this way. Your children are over here. Even if the beast didn’t understand her words, the message would be direct and clear, and it would take the pressure off Colt’s current dilemma.

--

Lena compels/commands the dream bird mother to follow her to where her babies are.

(Beastmaster) can compel any sentient animals not marked with a ☆ for assistance (6 large, 12 medium, 20 small)

Can speak to rare creatures/companions/regular animals

Lena

// of soft, simple quiet beneath the sun //

You won't stay with me, I know

"Not a terrible idea, as long as we can contain the fire." Koa's voice is hushed as he peers over Zavien's shoulder, sizing up the cruel-looking foe. Without their dragons the control they'll have over any fire is limited, but Zav has his burning length to get checked out by a doctor there, bud brandish, and Koa has... well, hands. "You bring the heat, I'll give it an encouraging shove? On three. One... two... three!"

Stepping past Zavien, Koa thrusts a projected shove forward, using his invisible grip and the power of fire to compel Mr. Cockatrice to gtfo, please.

Speaking of compulsion, Lena's gentle call breaks through the dreambird's fury like sunlight in a storm. Poor Colt and Chip will be relieved to find their assailant fluttering away, though not without little clawfuls of human and equine hair to reinforce her nest. She tweets her relief as she finds her babies, offering a melodious song to the Caretaker before violently regurgitating what's left of her half-digested foraging into hideous, toothy mouths.

Back in the tower, the cockatrice (somehow) defeated, Koa runs a hand through his hair and looks back to Zav. "Well... seems like this is going to be a lot more than one day's work. C'mon, let's head back to the girls and get a plan together for the contractors."

---

SUPER BELATED final round, come reconvene and report on what you've found

Koa

But you can have your way with me Till you go

Danger gleams like sunshine

It's hard to tell exactly what transpires (really, don't ask), but Zavien and Koa somehow liberate the cockatrice of the tower - or the other way around depending on how you look at it. Mirroring his friend, he runs a hand through his hair, catching his fingers on a feather that he lifts to glance at before casting aside like a bad omen. He'd prefer not to think about the gnarled claws and deafening screeches that would haunt his dreams tonight. 

Instead, he grins at Koa, more than willing to put in the leg work. "You didn't think it'd be that easy, did you? This place looks like a haunted house that's been scheduled for demolition since we were in diapers." Zavien laughs even as he leads the way down the steps, already feeling like they've dispelled the spirits and cleared the way for the new inhabitants and their noble mission. So when he steps back out into the sunlight, it's with a bright smile and a beaming sense of accomplishment that he directs towards the girls.

Zavien

to a brave man's eyes.

COLT

Usually a drink will do the trick
Take the edge off quick
A long gone drive, you know the kind
Where you take a turn and you don't know why
But it clears your mind, a surefire cure

Lena comes to her aide, thank fuck, and manages to wrestle the angry mother away with all the Attuned tricks that make Colt grateful time and time again. "Thank you," she breathes to the woman with a short laugh of disbelief after. It's funny now that she's made it through, but fucking hell she doesn't want to see another bird for the rest of today at least. "Let's head back," she suggests as she reaches out for Chip's reins, murmuring softly to the horse. Mostly thanking him for not bolting and leaving her ass in the dust. Sher promises him carrots and oats as she kisses his velvet nose, reaching up to gather his reins back in hand and climb back into the saddle, her extension of help about run through for the time being.

Colt and Chip are walking up to the ruined building just as Zavien is exiting, and Colt nods towards him, expecting Koa to be just behind, as Lena should be after her. "Got the trees that are dead all marked," Colt says easily, leaving the telling of insane birds to Lena's report in case something else had happened when they were split up that she didn't know about. "Any luck with the inside?" She's a bit skeptical, just based on the outward appearance, but who knows, maybe it has good bones.

---

Colt returns and reports.

I need somethin' stronger
That'll last a little longer
I could use a love song

// to the green lessons //

While she might have inwardly grimaced, the Caretaker was all grace and compassion as the dreambird hastened back to her children, with a song and regurgitation included, and Lena could dust her hands of the moment. She grinned back at Colt, shaking her head with only light laughter. “Sorry I didn’t catch it sooner. I’ve got my staff here too if you need any healing,” of the horrendous scratches and such. She didn’t mention the potential for impending nightmares, but maybe they’d waylaid the probability for now.

Hastening back to the boys, she hummed a little, content with what they’d accomplished. “There were some dreambirds that needed rehoming,” she couldn’t fathom what the situation would’ve been had they been permitted to remain. “But that’s all situated now. How are the other things?”

--

Lena offers to heal Colt and Chips and reports.

Lena

// of soft, simple quiet beneath the sun //

You won't stay with me, I know

"It seemed like a good idea from the outside," Koa protests, which is not actually all that true. It had seemed like a good idea with no more than 5 minutes consideration. But it's too late to back down now, the contractors are on their way. "At least the foundation didn't collapse beneath us," he grumbles as they trudge back to the doorway, glancing down uneasily as though the floorboards might hear him and self-destruct out of spite.

Thankfully none of them are too much the worse for wear when they reconvene, though Colt's hair will need a thorough brushing and both Zavien and Koa sport a good collection of cobwebs and dust in theirs. Koa takes notes as the reports are exchanged, sighing as his list for the contractors grows steadily longer. "Alright, well. Thanks everyone. This is a good start but... fuck. The work teams should be showing up soon. Anyone who wants to stay and lend a hand is welcome, but I understand if y'all wanna head home and shower." He certainly does, but he doesn't get that luxury.

Regardless of who stays and who goes, the contractors arrive and take stock. Unimpressed with the scope of the progress, they nonetheless get straight to work, enlisting any assistance they can and moving with an efficiency to rival ants.

---

One week later and Koa's re-assembled his initial crew. "It's done!" he declares, passing around celebratory glasses of sparkling wine with an ear-to-ear grin. "Still gotta make it homey, but we''ve got ourselves a nest!" Raising his glass in a cheers, he downs the beverage in one solid gulp. "Thanks, everyone. Now c'mon- there's pizza and more booze inside."

---

YAY WE DID IT kinda! PQ complete, see y'all for the rebuild in Stormbreak

Koa

But you can have your way with me Till you go